Students make connections between the author's life and her work. They will also gain insight on her writing process and come to view their own creative work more seriously.
Objective
Students will:
Read the author's comments about her writing process
Listen and watch a slideshow narrated by the author in which she describes step-by-step how her first draft of Because of Winn-Dixie developed into a published book
Practice free writing
Common Core State Standards
RL.3.3.
Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
RF.3.4.
Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
Step 1:
Ask students to share what they already know about Kate DiCamillo on a ThingLink. For example, they may know that she was awarded a Newbery Honor for Because of Winn-Dixie, and that in 2004 she won the Newbery Medal for The Tale of Despereaux.
Step 2:
Working in small groups, or independently, have students click the brown house with the red roof to link to Kate DiCamillo's thoughts on her writing process. After they read it, ask students: What does this quotation mean: " I hate writing. I love having written." Have students describe how they feel about writing. Is it hard for them to get started? What motivates them? How do they feel after they've written something?
Step 3:
Project the Slideshow of Drafts on the SmartBoard for the whole class to watch together. Distribute the printed-out drafts to the students for reference as you go through the slideshow together. After the slideshow is over, ask students what they think was the biggest change from the first draft of chapter one to the last draft. Have them discuss what change surprised them the most. Finally, ask students if they agree with the author that writing is like "walking down a dark hallway with your arms out in front of you." Have them explain their responses.
Step 4:
Have the students work with a partner to create a PowToon presentation with a partner. They will find information about another book written by Kate DiCamillo. The students will choose a book to research and include a summary about it. They will read this book in the future. The students may use my Powtoon as an guide to get them started!
Lesson Extensions
Encourage students to think about what helps them when they are writing a story. Have them write down their tips. Collect and compile their ideas and publish a class book of writing tips to use as a class resource.
Informally assess students understanding of the author's writing process by noting their participation and the quality of their comments during class discussions
About the Author
Grade 3
Overview
Students make connections between the author's life and her work. They will also gain insight on her writing process and come to view their own creative work more seriously.Objective
Students will:Common Core State Standards
Materials
Directions
Step 1:
Ask students to share what they already know about Kate DiCamillo on a ThingLink. For example, they may know that she was awarded a Newbery Honor for Because of Winn-Dixie, and that in 2004 she won the Newbery Medal for The Tale of Despereaux.
Step 2:
Working in small groups, or independently, have students click the brown house with the red roof to link to Kate DiCamillo's thoughts on her writing process. After they read it, ask students: What does this quotation mean: " I hate writing. I love having written." Have students describe how they feel about writing. Is it hard for them to get started? What motivates them? How do they feel after they've written something?
Step 3:
Project the Slideshow of Drafts on the SmartBoard for the whole class to watch together. Distribute the printed-out drafts to the students for reference as you go through the slideshow together. After the slideshow is over, ask students what they think was the biggest change from the first draft of chapter one to the last draft. Have them discuss what change surprised them the most. Finally, ask students if they agree with the author that writing is like "walking down a dark hallway with your arms out in front of you." Have them explain their responses.
Step 4:
Have the students work with a partner to create a PowToon presentation with a partner. They will find information about another book written by Kate DiCamillo. The students will choose a book to research and include a summary about it. They will read this book in the future. The students may use my Powtoon as an guide to get them started!
Lesson Extensions
Reproducibles
Kate DiCamillo's DraftsAssess Students